Clutch mechanism



April 25, 1944, c BUGG I 2,347,243

CLUTCH MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 16, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l IIIYVENTOR.

Fen/q (1 Egg April 25, 1944. G 2,347,243

CLUTCH MECHANISM IN V EN TOR.

BY Ken/y (f Bqgg fl TTORNEVS Patented Apr. 25, 1944 CLUTCH MECHANISM Kenly CL. Bugg, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignorto Neptune Meter Company, a

Jersey corporation of New Original application August 16, 1939, Serial No.

Claims.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 290,402, filed August 16, 1939, now Patent No. 2,298,343, dated October 13, 1942.

The present invention relates to clutches and more particularly to a clutch mechanism particularly useful in apparatus such as, for example, resetting mechanism for counting devices where it is desirable to provide a connection between the drive shaft and the counters for counting purposes and to hold the drive shaft stationary while the counting devices are reset to Zero.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a clutch mechanism capable of effecting a driving connection between two elements and operable to release one of the elements for independent movement and to hold the other of the elements against movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clutch mechanism which is relatively simple, sturdy and easy to operate.

The above and. additional objects of the invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and the appended claims when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in vertical elevation on a reduced scale of the driving and resetting mechanism for the countersof a computing device illustrating one of the many applications of the clutch mechanism of this invention, the position shown being that ofproviding a connection between the drive and the counters;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary View in vertical elevation of the driving and resetting mechanism in a pullback position;

Fig. 5v is a fragmentary view in elevation showing the clutch mechanism in a position releasing the counters and holding the drive;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the driving and resetting mechanism near the end of a resetting operationwith the clutch mechanism in counter connecting position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line Ill-l0 of Fig. 2 to show the details of the clutch connection and brake device; and

Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation of the means for controlling the cyclic operation of the reset mechanism.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings, a computer head is shown for purposes of illustrating the present invention embodying a plurality of counters adapted to indicate the amount and cost of a substance or units being counted. For ex-' Divided and this application January Serial No. 428,345

ample, the computer head comprises a supporting frame It! upon which are mounted counter units l2 and Ho, 13 and [3a and a driving and resetting mechanism Hi. The upper counter units l2 and (2a are provided with appropriate characters in the order of units, tens and hundreds representing the cost of the substance being counted, while the lower counter units l3 and I'Sa are provided with appropriate characters in the same order representing the amount, such as volume, length, number, etc., depending upon the character of the substance being counted. Disposed between the four counter units is a resetting mechanism which is adapted to reset all four counters simultaneously, the resetting mechanism being provided with a form of clutch mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention.

Since the counters form no part of the present invention it is only necessary for the purpose of illustrating the present invention to understand that the counters are of the type capable to perform a counting operation when the shaft thereof is rotated in one direction and to be reset to zero when the shaft is rotated in a reverse direction.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings, it will be noted that the shaft l3 of each counter unit is mounted at right angles to the frame It! of the computing device. The corresponding counters 12, 12a and I3, l3a are interconnected for corresponding movement by shafts 52 and 63, mounted in bearings 64 and 65, respectively.

Referring to the upper counter units l2 and In the shaft 62 intersects at right angles the center line of the shafts [8 of the counter units. Bevel gears 66 and 61 are provided on the shaft 62 to mesh with bevel gears 68 and 68a of counters I2 and l2a, respectively. The lower shaft 63 is provided with a similar bevel gear connection for transmission of motion to counters i3 and l3a.

The upper and lower counter units are driven independently of each other by separate drive shafts as shown more particularly in Patent No. 2,298,343. Where the computer is used in connection with a dispensing pump including a metering device, the lower or volume indicating counters l3 and l3a are adapted to be driven directly from the metering device. The upper counters which are adapted to indicate the cost of the liquid being dispensed are driven from the metering devicef'througha price variator mechanism (not shown) whereby the cost indications may be correlated with respect tothe price indicated' by the price variator mechanism.

A clutch shaft I2 is driven from the drive shaft that is connected to the price variator mechanism. The driving movement is transmitted from the clutch shaft I2 to the upper counter units through a clutch gear 15, an idler gear I6 and a gear device 80. The gear device 80 of counter I2 includes the bevel gear 68 and a spur gear 82.

The gear 82 meshes with the idler gear I6 whereby movement in a counting direction is transmitted to the shaft III of counter I2 and to the corresponding shaft of counter I2a by transmission through bevel gears 68 and 66, the shaft 62 and bevel gears 61 and 68a. The drive during-a counting operation to the from a clutch shaft 84 is identical with that described in connection with counters I2 and I2a, the clutch shaft 84 being driven by a drive shaft that is connected to the meter.

For the purpose of simultaneously resetting the several counters, a reset shaft 85 is shown in Fig. 1' rotatably mounted in the frame I9 with couplings BG'eXtending outwardly of the frame for engagement with a manually actuatable handle. The reset shaft is provided with a gear 88 which meshes with an idler gear 89 (Figs. 1 and 2). Interposed between the idler gear 89 and the gear device 80a of counter unit I2a is a gear 90 to which is secured a mutilated gear 9I. During a resetting operation themutilated gear is adapted meshingly to engage the gear 82a of the gear device 80a whereby counters I2 and I2a are driven in a reverse direction toward zero position, the motion being transmitted to the counter I2 from counter I2a backward through bevel gears 68a, 61, the shaft 62 and bevel gears 65 and 69. The resetting drive to counter units I3 and I So is identical with the drive to I2 and I2a just described.

The clutch device 92 and the brake device IIO of the clutch mechanism is shown in detail in Fig. 5. .Keyed to the shaft I2 is a gear 93 which provides a friction surface 94 adaptedto engage the clutch gear which is rotatably mounted on the shaft I2. The shaft I2 is threaded at 95 to a point adjacent gear I5. A clutch block 96 is threadably mounted on the threaded portion 95 for rotary movement relative to shaft 12 in directions toward and away from the keyed gear 93 to grip and release the clutch gear 75. The clutch block 96 is biased for movement toward the gear 93 by a spring 91 coiled about the shaft I2 with one end connectedto the block 96 at 98 and the other end to a disc 99 rotatively adjustable and secured to the shaft I2 against shoulder IIJI by a nut I00. The actuation of the clutch block 96 is controlled by the resetting mechanism through an arm I02 which is rotatably mounted in an annular recess I03 formed in the block 96. The surface of the block 96 adjacent the arm I02 is provided with ratchet teeth I04. A pawl I05 pivotally mounted on the arm I02 and biased by a spring I06 (Fig. 2) to engage the ratchet teeth I04 is adapted to retract the block 96 and thereby release the gear I5 when the arm I92 is moved counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. l.

The brake device III] is provided for the purpose of holding the drive shaft against move ment during resetting operations. The device H0 includes a stationary shaft in the form of a double-headed bolt II2 rigidly secured to the frame I0 by a nut I I3 in spaced. parallel relation to shaft 12. A'gear II 4 is rotatably mounted on the bolt I I2 in friction engaging relation lower counters I3 and I3a as the clutch device 92 with the frame I0 and in mesh with the gear 93 which is secured for rotation with shaft I2. Threadably mounted on the bolt H2 is a brake block II6 similar to the clutch block 96. The brake block I I6 is biased for rotary movement toward the gear II4 by a spring II! to frictionally grip the gear II4 against the frame I0, thereby holding the shaft I2 against movement. The brake block H6 is provided with an arm II 8 which carries a pawl II9 (Fig. 2) adapted to engage ratchet teeth I for the purpose of retracting the block II 6 near the end of a resetting operation to thereby release the shaft I2 for normal counting operations.

The lower counter units I3 and I3a are provided with clutch device I22 and brake device I23 which are of, substantially the same construction and brake device I I 0. The arms I02 and I24 of the two clutches 92 and I22 are interconnected by a link I25 whereby the clutches are adapted to be actuated simultaneously. A spring I26 is connected to the link I25 to bias the clutch arm I02 and I24 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

The brake devices H0 and I23 are also arranged for simultaneous operation, the arms IIB and I29 being connected by a link I28, biased by a spring I 30 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

The predetermined order of actuating the links I25 and I28 is controlled by a cam disc I32 and a cam lug I34 carried by the reset shaft 85. The link I25 is provided with a roller I35 which engages the surface of the cam disc I32. The arm I29 of the device I23 is provided with a finger I36 which is adapted to be engaged by the lug I34.

The cyclic movement of the reset shaft 85 is controlled by a notched disc I40 (see Figs. 2, 4 and 6). Cooperating with the notches MI and I42 of the disc I40 are zero stop pawl I43 and pullback limiting pawl I44. Pivotally mounted on the frame I0 adjacent the zero stop pawl I43 is a latch I45 biased by a spring I46 to engage a pin I41 on the zero stop pawl I43. Fig. 6 illustrates the position of zero stop pawl I43 in engagement with the notch I4I at the end of a resetting operation, the pawl operating to prevent continued movement of a shaft in a clockwise direction. To initiate a new resetting operation the shaft 85 must first be rotated in a counter clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 4 and 6, until the pawl I44 engages the notch I42. This pullback movement operates to dislodge the pawl I43 from the notch MI. The resulting clockwise movement of the pawl I43 raises the pin I41 sufficiently for the shoulder I48 of the latch I45 to slide beneath the pin thereby retaining the pawl I 43 free of the notch I4I, a position shown in Figs. 2 and 4. After the reset shaft 85 hasbeen rotated counterclockwise throughout the extent of a pullback movement, the shaft 85 may then be rotated in a clockwise direction through one and a fraction rotations until the latch I45 has been tripped by the pin I49 to permit the zero stop pawl I43 to enter notch MI and terminate the resetting operation.

It will thus be understood that the zero resetting mechanism is first given a slight pullback movement to withdraw the zero stop pawl and then a forward movement during which the shafts I8 of the several counters are driven in a reverse direction to return the counting elements to zero position, the stop pawl being re-.

leased for movement to stopping position near counter I2a backwards to zero position, the resetthe end'of the resetting-operation. ting movement being transmitted from counter A cyclic operation of the driving and resetting I2a to counter I2 through bevel gears 68a and mechanism is described 'herebelow by setting 61, the shaft 62, and bevel gears 66 and 68. The forth the relative positioning of parts at certain 5 resetting movement is transmitted to counters I3 points during a resetting operation to show how and 13a by a similar drivin ch n sm.

the clutch mechanism operates. The counter The muti1ated gears disengage the ears units I2 and I2a only are referred 'toin this de- 0f the counters just before the p p i 0f.

iscription of operation for the sake of brevity. m engag s the roller I35. The lip portion 1 Fig 1 m t t th position of t 10 I58 :is adapted to raise the roller I35 to move the setting mechanism at the termination of a resetarms and W4 t extreme ralsed P ting operation. The-clutch block 90 is in biased I eeff g. 4.) Upon movement of arm I02 position, havingbeen released from the pawl I05 this Posltlon, pawl engages an abutment provide an efiective driving connection I50, releasing the clutch block 96 for movement tween the shaft 12 and the clutch'gear 15. The by the spring 91 0 Clutch engaging relatlon Wlth "brake 'device III) is in retracted position releasgear The pawl assoclated Wlth arm mg the gear Ilt, whereby the shaft "12 is capable engages an abutment at the same F w of being driven by a Source of power such as a I05 engages abutment I60. When the lip I58.dismeter or the like. engages the roller I35 the link I25 is caused to 6 '(2) During the pullback movement of "the rea? g arms fi 9 w set shaft to'the position indicatedin Fig. 2,'wl'iere Sprmg 2 the posltlqn 11 ustmted m pawl HM engages thenotch '42 the zero stop (7) Acontinued rotation of the shaft 85 causes pawl is dislodgedfrom the notch I'4I and latched P cm 111% engage finger e h The rightlhand ing the arms H8 and I29 in a counterclockwise in raised position by late i D direction. This movement retracts the block II6 s-ds of the latch I45 (Fig. 6) is engaged by the 25 by engagement of pawl I is with ratchet teeth pin I49 during the pullback movement to urge the shoulder 14s of'the latch beneath the lug I41 t gear thus on Zero Sto Ba W1 43 The pullback move locking the drive shaft E2 fol noimal operation. p The arms H8 and I29 are retained in retracting merit also causes the cam lug I34 to be withposition, as shown in Fig. 1 by continued engagediawn from the finger I36, thus permitting the o0 .ment of the cam lug 3a with finger 36. Just spring I30 to move'the arms H8 and I29 clockprior to the completion of the resetting movewise from the position indicated in Fig. 1 to that ment, the pm I 49 is adapted to engage andtnp indicated in Fig. 2. The pawl IIO of the brake 1 atch I45 to release the zero stop pawl I43 to terdevice IIO rides over the ratchet teeth of the block H6 during this movement. The roller I 35 the restimg-opeljanon 1131? the mecharema ns on the surface I50 of the cam I32 i m 3? pfosmoq i ifi g i t th rom -e oregoing 1 W1 e 0 car a e throughout the pullback movement penmttmg counters I2, I20. and I3, I3a are reset to zero pcthe link to remain in fixed position sition by a movement which positions the clutch (3) Initial clockwise movement of the reset- 4O mechanism to hold the driving means against tmg shaft 35 causes the cam lug to engage movement and release the counters for movement the finger to W P F arms and independent of the driving means. The mutilatin a counterclockwise direction, whereupon the ed gears pick up the drives to the Several counter pawl H9 rotates the block IIB to an extreme reunits to reset the numeral Wheels backwards to tlacfled :pfisition, that until the pawl zero position. After the shafts of the several gages a abutment (and p 0f the counters have been rotated sufficiently to insure brake device I23 engages an abutment I53), complete resetting of the numeral wheels, the whereupon the ratchet teeth I20 are disengaged mutilated gears become disengaged, the clutch and the block H0 is released for rotation by devices actuated to reconnect the counters to the spring II'i to gripping engagement with gear H4. driving means and to release the locking hold The extreme or releasing position for the arms upon the drive. IIS and I29 is illustrated in Fig. 3. By this actua- While I have shown only one form of clutch tion of the device IIO, the drive shaft 12 is held mechanism and but one application thereof, it is against movement during resetting of the countrecognized that many modifications and other ing elements. 55 applications may be made without departing (4) By continued movement of the reset shaft from y invention. The clutch and. brake dein a clockwise direction, the cam lug I34 is caused Vices 92 and 0, fo exampl can be used singly to disengage the finger I36 whereby the arms I I8 instead of in the combination arran m nt illusand I29 assume the positions illustrated in Figs. t d and t means r actuating th clutch 1 a d 4 by action of spring I30, At b t thi devices can take entirely different forms from the point in the movement of the reset shaft, the inactuating mechanism with which y are herein ehn d urface I55 of c m I32 engages th wh illustrated. It should therefore be understood I35 to actuate the link I25, rotating the arms I02 that e Construction e n il ustrated and deand I24 counterclockwise. This movement of scribed isintended t0 st t ve of the invenarm I02 causes the pawl I05 to engage the ratchtion n y and not as limiting the scope of t ct teeth I04, retracting the block 96 to release the appended Claimsgear I5. With the roller I35 raised to the cam Iclaimi surface I56, the reset mechanism is then in a 1. A clutch mechanism comprising a shaft, position to initiate resetting movement of the means providing a friction surface fixed relative counter shafts I8. 7 to said shaft, a member threadably mounted on (5) Immediately following the movement of said shaft for rotary movement relative to said the roller I35 onto the surface I56, the mutilated shaft in directions toward and away from said gear 9| is adapted to engage the teeth of gear friction surface, an element rotatably mounted on 82a. Continued rotation of the reset shaft causes said shaft between said surface and said memthe mutilated gear 9I to drive gear 82a to reset her, means for biasing said member for movement toward said surface to hold said element against said surface, and means operative to retract said member to release said element.

a friction disc fixed relative to said shaft, a block threadaloly KENLY C. BUGG. 

